ESPN's Skipper: "They'll Bring In Some Stars"

[Mr Fish]

At a media industry breakfast this morning, ESPN's EVP, Content, John Skipper noted that MLS will be bringing in "some stars" into the league next season, the first under MLS' new ESPN rights contract.

A summary of Skipper's comments can be found here (http://thekinoffish.blogspot.com/).

[kstuart]

The remarks are "sports media guy in a bubble" gibberish.

I follow soccer pretty closely - except for the MLS - and so when he says:
As part of the deal, ESPN will take over production of MLS starting next year, saving the league millions of dollars.
I have to ask whether a word is missing there, i.e. "production of MLS broadcasts" ??
Or has ESPN actually bought the entirety of the MLS (since it is worth about the equivalent of 3 commercials during SportsCenter) ??
So are these "stars" someone like Katie Couric or Dennis Miller ? Or do they have the hutzpah to think they can actually get Thierry Henry or Ronaldinho to sign for MLS ??

[Mr Fish]

The remarks are "sports media guy in a bubble" gibberish.

I follow soccer pretty closely - except for the MLS - and so when he says:

I have to ask whether a word is missing there, i.e. "production of MLS broadcasts" ??
Or has ESPN actually bought the entirety of the MLS (since it is worth about the equivalent of 3 commercials during SportsCenter) ??
So are these "stars" someone like Katie Couric or Dennis Miller ? Or do they have the hutzpah to think they can actually get Thierry Henry or Ronaldinho to sign for MLS ??

Um, my apologies. Yes, he meant production of MLS broadcasts.

[kstuart]

In order for anyone who is a soccer fan to possibly watch MLS at any point in the future, they would have to rename "Real Salt Lake" and proclaim "Sorry, complete total insanity pervaded the entirety of the MLS organization for a short while. How else could a USA Sports Team be designated as belonging to the King of Spain ???"

[GutBomb]

In order for anyone who is a soccer fan to possibly watch MLS at any point in the future, they would have to rename "Real Salt Lake" and proclaim "Sorry, complete total insanity pervaded the entirety of the MLS organization for a short while. How else could a USA Sports Team be designated as belonging to the King of Spain ???"
just like FC Dallas and Toronto FC should be called SC instead of FC because we call it soccer right? or like DC United should have it's name changed because it was not more than 1 team that merged, the traditional meaning of the word "United".

PS, Manchester United was not merged either, they just took the name because it sounded cool.

It's just a name. Anyone that discounts MLS because of a team name would discount them for some other reason anyway.

[thurd]

just like FC Dallas and Toronto FC should be called SC instead of FC because we call it soccer right? or like DC United should have it's name changed because it was not more than 1 team that merged, the traditional meaning of the word "United".

PS, Manchester United was not merged either, they just took the name because it sounded cool.

It's just a name. Anyone that discounts MLS because of a team name would discount them for some other reason anyway.
Didn't DC's United name come from the two groups bidding for the franchise uniting into 1 ownership group?

[bbsbt]

In order for anyone who is a soccer fan to possibly watch MLS at any point in the future, they would have to rename "Real Salt Lake" and proclaim "Sorry, complete total insanity pervaded the entirety of the MLS organization for a short while. How else could a USA Sports Team be designated as belonging to the King of Spain ???"
I agree with you 100% !!
That single word, "Real", has negatively affected the performance of this team since the beginning.
Had they not chosen that particular word as part of their team name, I'm sure the team's on-field performance would have had improved, and their play would have been more exciting, perhaps to the point where it would entice even YOU to start watching them.


Behold the power of a single word.

[GutBomb]

i've heard the story, but i hadn't heard it attributed to why united is named united. If it is true, interesting, but it sounds more like revisionist history, to give the name something more than a "marketing" meaning.

[kstuart]

I agree with you 100% !!
That single word, "Real", has negatively affected the performance of this team since the beginning.
Had they not chosen that particular word as part of their team name, I'm sure the team's on-field performance would have had improved, and their play would have been more exciting, perhaps to the point where it would entice even YOU to start watching them.


Behold the power of a single word.
If you are looking for some stock analysis, and there are two articles, one by "John Smith" and one by "Joe 'Fart Lover' Jones", which one are you going to read ?
The "Real Salt Lake" name convinces me that the MLS execs' average IQ is probably about 85, and there isn't a 1 in 100 chance of either their product succeeding or that is worth watching.

[HSEUPASSION]

How will they bring in a star to broadcast when most popular American announcers know as much about soccer as they know about the Kuiper belt?

[JCUnited]

kstuart,

Your comments on Real Salt Lake show me that either your IQ is about 85 or you are just that anal.

Yes, we all know what the Spanish meaning of "Real" is.

But what MLS wanted to do by allowing a franchise to use the term in America is tie into the global appeal of football/soccer/whatever you wish to call it.

It was allowed so that people could see that clubs, and MLS as a whole, is showing respect to the sport of soccer after years of shootouts, no stoppage time, etc. etc. It's a name that, the second you see it, you know is a SOCCER TEAM NAME.

That's what MLS needs, names that stand out in the market. Sure, they could have gone the generic route and use the typical American sports names that every league does, thus causing an MLS that needs something extra to stand out to fall out of the "San Jose Clash? Are they a WNBA team or an Arena football team?" pack.

Real Salt Lake is a soccer name. DC United is a soccer name. FC Dallas and Toronto FC are soccer names. Club Deportivo Chivas USA is a soccer name. Are you beginning to see something here?

So yes, if you want to be anal joe (or ignorant joe) you can whine that MLS isn't worth your precious time because of a franchise name. I know next time I'm asked "why don't you like the NFL?" that I'll respond "There are no giants in New York, so how can I follow a league with team names that are lies".

Or you can use that brain you've got to figure out that MLS is plying their wares to the soccer crowd. The name won't make anybody love the league, but at least it shows some respect for the heritage of the game. Much more than if they were the Salt Lake Saints.

[TarheelJTK]

kstuart,

Your comments on Real Salt Lake show me that either your IQ is about 85 or you are just that anal.

Yes, we all know what the Spanish meaning of "Real" is.

But what MLS wanted to do by allowing a franchise to use the term in America is tie into the global appeal of football/soccer/whatever you wish to call it.

It was allowed so that people could see that clubs, and MLS as a whole, is showing respect to the sport of soccer after years of shootouts, no stoppage time, etc. etc. It's a name that, the second you see it, you know is a SOCCER TEAM NAME.

That's what MLS needs, names that stand out in the market. Sure, they could have gone the generic route and use the typical American sports names that every league does, thus causing an MLS that needs something extra to stand out to fall out of the "San Jose Clash? Are they a WNBA team or an Arena football team?" pack.

Real Salt Lake is a soccer name. DC United is a soccer name. FC Dallas and Toronto FC are soccer names. Club Deportivo Chivas USA is a soccer name. Are you beginning to see something here?

So yes, if you want to be anal joe (or ignorant joe) you can whine that MLS isn't worth your precious time because of a franchise name. I know next time I'm asked "why don't you like the NFL?" that I'll respond "There are no giants in New York, so how can I follow a league with team names that are lies".

Or you can use that brain you've got to figure out that MLS is plying their wares to the soccer crowd. The name won't make anybody love the league, but at least it shows some respect for the heritage of the game. Much more than if they were the Salt Lake Saints.

Well, if all they want is something that will be a "soccer name" then why not just stick with something that isn't so ridiculous. AC Salt Lake, Athletico Salt Lake, Inter Salt Lake or Sporting Salt Lake. Real Salt Lake is a joke if you know anything about the history of the game and the word itself. Next thing you know there will be a CSKA San Jose. If it's alright to name a team with a Spanish word for royal then why not name a team after the Red Army teams in the former Soviet Union. Why not connect our sports team with the Red Army if we're going to associate them with the Spanish king? I think it makes the team seem more of a joke to the soccer crowd.

[joebloe888]

If you are looking for some stock analysis, and there are two articles, one by "John Smith" and one by "Joe 'Fart Lover' Jones", which one are you going to read ?
The "Real Salt Lake" name convinces me that the MLS execs' average IQ is probably about 85, and there isn't a 1 in 100 chance of either their product succeeding or that is worth watching.

"ReAL Salt Lake" was chosen deliberately to indicate that the team has an alliance, albeit not a very close one, with Real Madrid CF.

[hipityhop]

How will they bring in a star to broadcast when most popular American announcers know as much about soccer as they know about the Kuiper belt?

they know waaaaay more about the kuiper belt than soccer.... the kuiper belt is in outer space!

[SYoshonis]

The "Real Salt Lake" name convinces me that the MLS execs' average IQ is probably about 85, and there isn't a 1 in 100 chance of either their product succeeding or that is worth watching.And your posts in this thread convince me that you're just looking for reasons to bash MLS, and that they don't have to be good reasons.

[Pyro]

k,

Your points have so much validity!

1. “The brand has no chance of succeeding”
a. RSL has the best newspaper coverage
b. strong attendance
c. many games broadcast locally
d. a soccer specific stadium on the way
2. “The name is a joke”
a. Such a joke that REAL MADRID themselves
i. struck an official association with the team that can include player exchanges
ii. participated in a friendly with the heathen team
iii. helped them break ground for their new stadium

Thank god you though these posts through! Thank god you are the gatekeeper of what is right in the soccer nomenclature world!

[kenntomasch]

If you are looking for some stock analysis, and there are two articles, one by "John Smith" and one by "Joe 'Fart Lover' Jones", which one are you going to read ?

Fart Lover Jones' stuff is actually really insightful. And I like his radio show better than that one guy who's always yammering on about stocks and such on the radio early in the morning.

The "Real Salt Lake" name convinces me that the MLS execs' average IQ is probably about 85, and there isn't a 1 in 100 chance of either their product succeeding or that is worth watching.

Okay, then. Guess we'll have to soldier on without you.

That said, I've always thought it was a stupid name. But it has virtually nothing to do with whether or not their product will succeed. It seems to work in Salt Lake City, so whether or not it appeals to someone in Northern California doesn't really matter.

[kenntomasch]

"ReAL Salt Lake" was chosen deliberately to indicate that the team has an alliance, albeit not a very close one, with Real Madrid CF.

The alliance came after the name, if I recall.

[szazzy]

Well, if all they want is something that will be a "soccer name" then why not just stick with something that isn't so ridiculous. AC Salt Lake, Athletico Salt Lake, Inter Salt Lake or Sporting Salt Lake. Real Salt Lake is a joke if you know anything about the history of the game and the word itself. Next thing you know there will be a CSKA San Jose. If it's alright to name a team with a Spanish word for royal then why not name a team after the Red Army teams in the former Soviet Union. Why not connect our sports team with the Red Army if we're going to associate them with the Spanish king? I think it makes the team seem more of a joke to the soccer crowd.

Sporting or Inter Salt Lake is okay though :rolleyes:? Go find a Man U game on TV so you can show everyone what a great soccer fan you are compared to the joke that is MLS.

[TarheelJTK]

Sporting or Inter Salt Lake is okay though :rolleyes:? Go find a Man U game on TV so you can show everyone what a great soccer fan you are compared to the joke that is MLS.

Neither Inter nor Sporting is in anyway related to the king of Spain. I watch plenty of Revs games so don't tell me what kind of soccer I should watch. I just think that MLS made a mistake choosing the Real name when there were others that are just as associated with the sport as Real but without the royal connection.